As Amber Igiede opened her sophomore year in Hawaii, her thoughts were also on the preparations being made back home in Louisiana.
The middle blocker from Baton Rouge was in the midst of the season-opening Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic in Manoa as Hurricane Ida approached landfall in Louisiana last weekend. Igiede said she was able to check in on family and friends and was assured they were doing well in the aftermath of the storm.
“We were more fortunate than other people who got hit,” Igiede told reporters after the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team’s practice Tuesday morning.
“Everyone’s asking me on social media and I really appreciate it actually. My family, they’re so strong with everything that’s happened. We’ve actually been preparing for any hurricanes or flooding because this isn’t the first time in Louisiana that this has happened. So by the grace of God, everyone is fine so far, but it was playing hugely in my mind.”
With her mind at greater ease regarding affairs at home, Igiede could look ahead to UH’s first road trip of the season as she looks to build on an all-tournament performance over the weekend.
The Wahine (2-1) open the three-match trip by taking on Utah Valley (0-2) on Thursday in Orem, Utah. They’ll then face two nationally ranked opponents in the Utah Classic, taking on No. 22 San Diego (1-1) on Friday and No. 19 Utah (2-0) on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
UH received 10 points in the AVCA Division I Top 25, placing 31st in the coaches poll, after going 2-1 last week with wins over Fairfield and Texas A&M and a loss to now-No. 25 Marquette.
Igiede led the Wahine with a .435 hitting percentage and 10 blocks during the tournament, and her 23 kills ranked second on the team behind the 47 posted by senior outside hitter Brooke Van Sickle. Igiede and Van Sickle, partners on the UH beach volleyball team, represented the Wahine on the all-tournament team.
The excitable sophomore provided energy on the court and when she rotated to the bench in an empty SimpliFi Arena.
“Since we don’t have fans, you really have to create your own energy and communication and every emotion,” she said. “Even if it’s not me creating a point … if you’re excited for your other teammates, it creates energy for them.”
Along with her seven kills and three blocks against Texas A&M, Igiede celebrated her lone assist on Sunday. After having a kill attempt blocked back, Igiede was able to pop the ball up and setter Mylana Byrd took a full swing on the second touch to hammer one of her four kills in the sweep of the Aggies.
“I was very happy because a middle assisting a setter, how crazy does that sound? But we make it work,” Igiede said of the sequence that drew a raucous reaction from the UH bench.
“We’ve seen it a few times in practice, but I think during the game nobody was expecting it. (Byrd is) already an aggressive player, so I think when she went up it surprised (Texas A&M), but it just made us so proud. We loved it.”
Wahine minus Hanawahine
Senior libero Kyra Hanawahine is no longer on the Rainbow Wahine roster as of Tuesday. No reason was given for her departure.
Hanawahine, a Kamehameha graduate, transferred to UH for the 2019 season after playing two seasons at Oregon. She played in 28 matches in 2019 and finished the season with 37 digs and 13 service aces. She came off the bench as a serving substitute in UH’s matches against Fairfield and Marquette last week and didn’t see playing time in Sunday’s win over Texas A&M. With Hanawahine’s absence, the Wahine have two libero/defensive specialists in freshman Tayli Ikenaga, who started all three matches last week, and junior Janelle Gong.
RAINBOW WAHINE VOLLEYBALL
At Orem, Utah
Hawaii (2-1) at Utah (0-2)
>> When: Thursday, 1 p.m.
>> TV: None
>> Live stream: ESPN+
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
